Disclosed are intermediate transfer members, and more specifically, intermediate transfer members useful in transferring images such as a developed image in an electrostatographic, for example xerographic, including digital, image on image, and the like, machines or apparatuses, and printers. In embodiments, there are selected intermediate transfer members comprised of a single layer or a dual layer with a supporting substrate, such as a polyimide layer, and a second layer of carbon black mixed with a dispersant. More specifically, there is disclosed herein an intermediate transfer member, such as an intermediate transfer belt (ITB), comprised of carbon black dispersed in a copolymer of a polyester, a polycarbonate, and a polyethylene glycol, which copolymer is commercially available as LNP STAT-LOY 63000CTC from SABIC Innovative Plastics. In embodiments, a specific dispersant copolymer is comprised of about 62 parts of a polyester formed, for example, by the mixing of a trans-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid and a trans/cis mixture of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, about 33 parts of a polycarbonate, such as polycarbonate A, and at about 5 parts of a polyethylene glycol.
The carbon black containing mixture, in embodiments, has further included therein an optional second polymer selected, for example, from a polyimide (thermosetting or thermoplastic), a polycarbonate, a polyamideimide, a polyphenylene sulfide, a polyamide, a polysulfone, a polyetherimide, a polyester, a PVDF, a polyethylene-co-polytetrafluoroethylene, and their copolymers, and mixtures thereof.
A number of advantages are associated with the intermediate transfer members of the present disclosure in embodiments thereof, such as increasing the conductivity of carbon black as compared to a number of similar members that exclude the polymer mixture illustrated herein; permitting the use of minimal amounts, when desired, of carbon black such as from about 0.5 to about 2.5 weight percent to achieve an ITB resistivity range of, for example, from about 108 to about 1013 ohm/sq.
In embodiments of the present disclosure, there are provided intermediate transfer members that are believed to possess excellent mechanical characteristics; robustness; consistent, and excellent surface resistivities; excellent image transfer (toner transfer and cleaning); acceptable adhesion properties, when there is included in the plural layered intermediate transfer member an adhesive layer; excellent maintained conductivity or resistivity for extended time periods; dimensional stability; humidity insensitivity for extended time periods; low and acceptable surface friction characteristics; and minimum or substantially no peeling or separation of the layers.
In a typical electrostatographic reproducing apparatus, such as xerographic copiers, printers, and multifunctional machines, a light image of an original to be copied is recorded in the form of an electrostatic latent image upon a photosensitive member or a photoconductor, and the latent image is subsequently rendered visible by the application of electroscopic thermoplastic resin particles and colorant. Generally, the electrostatic latent image is developed by contacting it with a developer mixture comprised of a dry developer mixture, which usually comprises carrier granules having toner particles adhering triboelectrically thereto, or a liquid developer material, which may include a liquid carrier having toner particles dispersed therein. The developer material is advanced into contact with the electrostatic latent image, and the toner particles are deposited thereon in image configuration. Subsequently, the developed image is transferred to a copy sheet. It is advantageous to transfer the developed image to a coated intermediate transfer web, belt or component, and subsequently, transfer with a high transfer efficiency the developed image from the intermediate transfer member to a permanent substrate. The toner image is subsequently usually fixed or fused upon a support, which may be the photosensitive member itself, or other support sheet such as plain paper.
Intermediate transfer members possess a number of advantages, such as enabling high throughput at modest process speeds; improving registration of the final color toner image in color systems using synchronous development of one or more component colors, and using one or more transfer stations; and increasing the number of substrates that can be selected. However, a disadvantage of using an intermediate transfer member and belt (ITB) is that a plurality of transfer operations is usually needed allowing for the possibility of charge exchange occurring between toner particles and the transfer member, which ultimately can lead to less than complete toner transfer, resulting in low resolution images on the image receiving substrate, and image deterioration. When the image is in color, the image can additionally suffer from color shifting and color deterioration.
Attempts at controlling the resistivity of intermediate transfer members by, for example, adding conductive fillers, such as ionic additives and/or carbon black to the outer layer, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,397,034 which describes the use of fluorinated carbon filler in a polyimide intermediate transfer member layer. However, there can be problems associated with the use of such fillers in that undissolved particles frequently bloom or migrate to the surface of the fluorinated polymer and cause imperfections to the polymer, thereby causing nonuniform resistivity, which in turn causes poor antistatic properties and poor mechanical strength characteristics. Also, ionic additives on the ITB surface may interfere with toner release. Furthermore, bubbles may appear in the polymer, some of which can only be seen with the aid of a microscope, and others of which are large enough to be observed with the naked eye resulting in poor or nonuniform electrical properties, and poor mechanical properties.
In addition, the ionic additives themselves are sensitive to changes in temperature, humidity, and operating time. These sensitivities often limit the ITB resistivity range. For example, the ITB resistivity usually decreases by up to two orders of magnitude or more as the humidity increases from about 20 to about 80 percent relative humidity; which effect limits the operational or process latitude.
Moreover, ion transfer can also occur in these systems, wherein this transfer leads to charge exchanges and insufficient transfers, which in turn causes low image resolution and image deterioration, thereby adversely affecting the copy quality. In color systems, additional adverse results include color shifting and color deterioration. Ion transfer also increases the resistivity of the polymer member after repetitive use.
Therefore, it is desired to provide an intermediate transfer member with a number of the advantages illustrated herein, such as excellent mechanical, and humidity insensitivity characteristics, permitting high copy quality where developed images with minimal resolution issues can be obtained. It is also desired to provide a weldable intermediate transfer belt that may not, but could, have puzzle cut seams, and instead has a weldable seam, thereby providing a belt that can be manufactured without labor intensive steps, such as manually piecing together the puzzle cut seam with fingers, and without the lengthy high temperature and high humidity conditioning steps.